Shell criticises proposed future bans of non-electric cars

Guy Outen, head of strategy for Shell, said the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas group supported those aims but said governments should not "Pick winners" among green technologies. Shell's argument will be seen by many as self-serving because government backing for electric vehicles poses a threat to the 26 per cent of global oil demand that comes from passenger cars. Growth in petrol and diesel car ownership in the developing world meant that fuel efficiency standards would have a bigger impact than EVs on oil demand by a factor of three-to-one in coming decades, Mr Outen said. In its latest long-term outlook for global energy markets published on Friday, Shell said demand for oil was likely to continue rising until 2035, even in the event of "Aggressive" uptake of EVs. Much would depend on whether developing Asian economies such as China and India emulated the European model of compact cities with good public transport or US urban sprawl dominated by cars, Mr Outen said.